


Falling in love at  a coffee shop

by conching



Category: Heneral Luna (2015), Heneral Luna (2015) RPF
Genre: Alternate Universe - Coffee Shops & Cafés, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - Student/Teacher, M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-12-02
Updated: 2018-10-07
Packaged: 2019-02-09 13:31:47
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 9,423
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12888924
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/conching/pseuds/conching
Summary: In which Mabini, a Law professor, owns a quaint Maginhawa coffee shop and Aguinaldo, a PMAer-turned-PolSci-Major, is his most loyal customer.





	1. I never knew just what it was about this old coffee shop I love so much

**Author's Note:**

> Chapter title is from Landon Pigg's Falling In Love At A Coffee Shop.

“Emilio! Monday na Monday, back too soon?” Isabel called out from behind the counter as I entered the café.  
  
“ _Sadly._ ”  
  
“Bastos ka, alam mo yun?” She gave me the stink eye as I walked over to where she was.  
  
“Mahal mo naman ako e.” I winked.  
  
“Shh. Baka marinig ka ni Tonio.”  
  
“Tigilan mo nga ako, Isabel!” A voice boomed from the kitchen.  
  
“Pabayaan mo yun,” Isabel laughed. “So, anong meron ngayon? Paper? Exam?”  
  
“Paper. Due next week, pero gusto ko na tapusin para di ako matambakan.”  
  
“That’s good, ipagpatuloy mo yan.”  
  
I glanced at the overhead menu boards, thinking of ordering something new. I looked up, only to see the usual writings, unchanged and plain as ever. The menu doesn’t really look convincing to me.  
  
“Alam mo ba, natutunan ko sa isa sa mga prof ko, mas effective ang menu kapag maganda yung graphics or kaya yung typography, lalo na kung may gusto kayong ipa-try na bagong flavor o pastry.”  
  
“I never thought of it  _that_ way. Akala ko kasi pag ganyan lang, okay na. Medyo bagay kasi sa theme ng cafè eh,” She looked at the boards. “I’ll tell my boss about it. Thank you. Upo ka na para makasimula ka na. I’ll have them prepare your usual order.” I said thank you before walking to my usual table and set my laptop up.  
  
Two hours into my stay, the chimes by the door swung and made a sound. A chorus of,  _“Hi, sir!”_  resonated throughout the café. Curiosity washed over me and I looked at their boss. Sa tinagal-tagal kong pumupunta dito, ngayon lang kami nagpang-abot.  
  
You could just imagine how surprised I was. Di naman sa bastos ako,  _pero di ko lang akalain na lumpo siya._  
  
He nodded in acknowledgment as he wheeled himself around, looking around for a free table. Sadly, wala. Na-conscious ako dahil wala naman akong kasama sa table, pero pang-apat, kaya inayos ko yung gamit ko to let him know na okay lang kaming mag-share.  
  
Antonio saw me clearing up space, so he volunteered to wheel him to my table. He took away one of the chairs and positioned his boss in front of the table. Inilapag niya yung leather satchel niya sa mesa. Nilapitan kaagad siya ni Isabel na may bitbit na isang mug ng kape.  
  
“Sir, the usual.” Isabel smiled. Their boss smiled back as he took the mug from her hands.  
  
Up close, dun ko nakita nang husto ang mukha niya. He looked relatively plain,  _save for the glorious cheekbones_. He’s probably in his early 30s, judging by the faint laughter lines and crow’s feet on his face. He looks like he could be a charmer, but his eyes said so otherwise. Mukhang pagod siya at walang oras sa mga walang kwentang bagay.  
  
“Sir, ito nga po pala yung kinukwento namin sa inyo na regular customer natin na halos magsara na ng café,” I smiled sheepishly. “Emilio,  _this_ is our boss, si Sir Apolinario Mabini.”  
  
“It’s nice to  _finally_ meet our most loyal customer,” Hearing him talk makes a very big difference. His voice may have sounded a bit raspy, like he has been talking all day, but it was rich and husky. “Excuse my voice, kaninang umaga pa ako nagtuturo.”  
  
“Ayos lang. Teacher ka pala.”  
  
“ _In a sense_ , oo. Part-time lang, para ma-practice speech skills ko.”  
  
I didn’t know what to respond with so we stopped talking after that. He brought out small but thick books to read while I slaved on my paper. I glanced quickly at the spines of his books and inferred that he teaches Law at my university.  
  
The sun eventually set and darkness soon took over the sky.  
  
I was broken out of my trance when I heard pens clattering on the floor and a muffled string of curses. I crouched to pick all of the pens up and came face-to-face with Apolinario when I returned his pens. He muttered a _‘thank you’_  as he took the pens from me. That’s when I saw his little black book opened to a page full of typography drills.  
  
“Ang ganda,” His ears turned red as he muttered another  _‘thank you.’_ “Judging from what I’ve observed since we met, I’m  _assuming_  na lisensyadong abogado ka na and you teach at a Law school. Tapos magaling ka pa mag-calligraphy? What  _can’t_ you do?”  
  
“ _Walk,_   _apparently_.”  **Oh shit.**  
  
“Sorry, I didn’t mean it that way.” He chuckled.  
  
“Ano ka ba, okay lang. Ako naman humirit eh.  _What’s life without a few jokes here and there at my expense?_ ”  
  
“Buti ka nga marami kang talent e. Ako, eto,  _flat tops lang._ ” There it is again, that ticklish sound.  
  
“PMA graduate turned Philosophy major?” Tinaasan niya ako ng kilay.  
  
“Close enough. Tama ka na sa una,  _pero_ Political Science.”  
  
“Eto na lang, para sa Social Science 2 yung papel mo, no?”  
  
“Kasama ba ang  _manghuhula_ sa resumé mo?” He just laughed at me.  
  
“Grabe ka naman. You’re the one who’s been whispering,  _‘Punyeta, ano bang pake ko sa state of nature ni Rousseau eh may sibilisasyon na?’_ ” I awkwardly scratched the back of my neck.Nadali ako dun ah.  
  
“How do you like your coffee?” Napa-kunot yung noo niya.  
  
“No, it’s okay. I can have them fix me another cup.”  
  
“I insist. You’re good company, and makakadagdag ako sa sales ng coffee shop mo pag ibinilihan kita.”  
  
“Black.  _No cream, one sugar._ ”  
  
I stood up and walked over the counter. Isabel took our order and Antonio served them to me.  
  
“Never ko pang nakitang nagdala ng kaibigan yan dito, wala ring kinakausap yan bukod sa staff. Pero kahit samin, medyo malamig pakikitungo niya,” I looked over to Apolinario’s direction. He was quietly scribbling on his doodling book. “Baka ikaw na magpabago sa kanya.”  
  
I nodded solemnly, took the tray of drinks and walked back to our table. Apolinario and I talked about a lot of things, mostly related to school. Nung medyo nawawalan na kami ng pag-uusapan, nag-volunteer siya na tulungan ako sa paper ko. Andami niyang binigay na magagandang insights, at dun niya na-reveal na bukod sa nagtuturo siya sa College of Law, nagtuturo din siya ng Social Science 2 every other sem. Binara-bara ko lang yung papel ko, pero pagkatapos naming pagtulungan, ramdam na ramdam kong mau-uno ko na yung requirement na yun.  _If only magaling din ako sa exam._  
  
People came and go, and soon, it was just the two of us, save for the staff who were now cleaning up the place.  
  
“Alam mo, ang ganda ng café mo. Hindi mukhang mainstream kaya ramdam na ramdam mo yung comfort.  _Maganda yung ambiance, bale._ ”  
  
“Yun ba yung dahilan kung bakit madalas ka dito?”  
  
“Actually, oo. At tsaka, ang sarap talaga nung chicken pasta salad ni Isabel.”  
  
“True. Yun ang madalas kong kinakain dito.”  
  
Napatingin ako sa relo ko.  **Hala ka, 11:00 na.** Nakipagdaldalan lang ako, pa-hatinggabi na.  
  
“Apolinario, medyo late na kasi, kailangan ko na mauna. Maaga pa kasi ako bukas. It was nice chatting with you. Next time ulit, pag maganda schedule ko.” I said habang inaayos ang gamit ko.  
  
“Likewise, Emilio,” He said as he put away his things, too. “ _Oh, and, Pole, my friends call me Pole._ ”  
  
“ _Miong_ na lang din,” I waved goodbye before walking out the door. Not more than ten steps have I taken when an idea popped in my head and I came back to the café. Dumungaw lang ako pagkabukas ko ng pinto. “Mas maganda siguro kung gagamitin mo yung calligraphy skills mo sa menu boards niyo.  _Pangit sulat ni Antonio eh._ ” Pole just laughed.  
  
“Gago ka talaga, Aguinaldo! May araw ka rin sakin, kita mo!” I let out a chuckle as I walked away.

It took me two weeks before I had the opportunity to visit the café. I went back on a Monday, the same time when I met Pole, and when I went inside, the boards were revamped.  _The plain and scratchy handwriting in white chalk was replaced with elegant loopy typography._  
  
“Uy, Emilio! Tagal nating nawala ah?”  
  
“Medyo naging busy kasi ako. Pasensya naman, Isabel.” We shared a good laugh.  
  
I looked around for a familiar man in a wheelchair but found none. Instead, I noticed the amount of typography art framed on the walls.  
  
“Si Sir Mabini? Nasa ibang bansa siya ngayon,” I probably looked like a deer caught in the headlights when she mentioned him. “Nasabi mo pala sa kanya yung tungkol sa menu, no? Tama ka, mas naging ma-benta yung café nung inayos yung menu. Naglagay din siya ng mga artwork niya sa dingding. Galing, no?”  
  
“May kakaibang talent talaga siya.”  
  
“Yep. At tsaka, uy, alam mo ba, na-feature kami sa  _iba’t ibang_  blogs tungkol sa mga must-visit na café dito sa Manila?  _Whimsically inventive and artsy daw kami._ ”  
  
“Congrats sa inyo, Isabel.” I ordered my usual, a hot caramel macchiato and a plate of Isabel’s to-die-for chicken pasta salad.  
  
“May ipinapabigay pala si Sir Mabini sayo, Emilio.” She said as she handed me a note with my name in neat cursive. It read:  
  
_I heard you dropped your Social Science 2 class last week. If you’re still interested, 2435-6 - SocSci 2 TTh 1000-1130._  
  
We didn’t see each other again for the whole semester, but I was sure as hell excited for the next.


	2. I've seen the paths that your eyes wander down, I wanna come too

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Mabini, a Law professor, owns a quaint Maginhawa coffee shop and Aguinaldo, a PMAer-turned-PolSci-Major, is his Social Science 2 student.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter title is from Landon Pigg's Falling In Love At A Coffee Shop.

“Joven,  _please_. Gawan mo naman ng paraan.” I pleaded with all my might.  
  
“Kuya Miong, ilang sem na kitang pinagbibigyan. Hindi naman mahirap gawan ng paraan na makakuha ka ng slots sa subjects na gusto mo. Pero wag yang SocSci 2 na ‘yan. Kahit ano basta wag lang yan.” Joven kept his eyes on the monitor, his eyebrows knitted.  
  
“Bakit? Joven naman, please,  _parang-awa mo na._ ” I grabbed both his hands.  _Pathetic, the heights I’m going through to get this darned class._  
  
“Masyadong in-demand ang klase ni Sir Mabini. Di ka naman freshman, di ka din senior, kaya wala kang priority status.  _Milagro ang kailangan dito_.” I let go of both his hands. I scout the room with my eyes to find the person who can help me with this.  
  
Thank the heavens for being surrounded by dorks who feel like they’re called to serve in this forsaken place.  
  
“Di ko na sana gustong umabot pa sa ganito, pero, mukhang wala na akong choice,” He paid me no mind as I stood up from my seat and took a deep breath.“Paco! Paco! Alam mo ba si Joven–!”  
  
A pair of clammy hands gripped me by the arm to pull me back down to my seat. I landed on the chair with a loud thud.  
  
“Sige na, gagawan ko na ng paraan, manahimik ka na.” I came face-to-face with a flustered and panicking Joven.  
  
“Yun naman pala eh. Thank you, Joven!” I ruffled his hair.  
  
Paying me no mind, Joven looked more panicked than ever. I shifted in my seat to see Paco walking over to us after entertaining the last student in time for lunch break.  
  
“Uy, Miong, anong meron kay Joven?” If Joven could turn redder than he already is, he probably would have.  
  
“Actually, mas maganda kung siya na mismo magsabi sayo. Sige na, mauna na ako. Di pa ako kumakain eh,” I stood up, looked over to Joven and sent him a little wink. “Joven, thank you talaga, ha!”  
  
I walked out of the office, faintly hearing Paco inviting Joven to eat lunch at Crazy Katsu.  
  
 _You’re welcome, Jovenito._

* * *

I arrived at his classroom 30 minutes before the time. At 10 minutes to 10, students started filling the room.  
  
 **10:55.**   _First day of classes and it’s like he doesn’t give a shit about time._  It’s a wonder these kids haven’t left. One-third pa lang ng time na male-late ang prof, considered free cut na yung subject.  
  
“Class, I’m sorry I’m late. I had an errand to take care of at the firm. But, on to relevant matters, you see, it’s been  _more_ than a hundred years since the school has been founded,  _and yet they still haven’t made it wheelchair accessible_ ,” He wheeled himself in, trying to catch his breath as he placed his things on the teacher’s table. “My name is Apolinario Mabini, you may address me  _only_ as Sir Mabini.”  
  
“Sir, can’t we address you with something shorter?” One of the girls in the front row asked.  
  
“Good question. May I ask what your name is before I answer?” She and her friends giggled.  
  
“Rose Madrigal, sir.”  
  
“Well, Ms. Madrigal, what other choices of names to call me have I given you?”  
  
“None else, sir.”  
  
“ _That’s the answer to your question, then,_ ” Nagkamali ba ako ng klase na pinasukan? Ibang Apolinario Mabini ata ito eh. “Anyway, I’m not going to keep you here for the rest of the period. We just need to settle a few things and I’ll see you next meeting. Get one and pass.”  
  
He had a stack of papers passed around the class. When the pile got to me, I saw that it was the syllabus for the semester.  
  
“Damn.”  _Ang daming readings._  
  
“Does everyone have a copy?” He took our silence as a  _yes_. “As you can see on our syllabus, our course is specifically designed to tackle Western thinkers, so don’t go expecting you’ll learn about Asian philosophers. Other than that, you’ll find the grading system, the house rules, and the requirements you need to pass. _No finals, no project, just three long exams._  Last but not the least, there are four things I do not condone: eating in class, tardiness, coming to class unprepared, and most of all,  _stupid questions_. That’s just about it for now. Read Plato’s  _The Republic_  and get ready for next meeting.”  
  
The students, scared shitless, hurriedly picked up their bags and left the room, leaving me and Pole.  
  
“That’s  _really_ how you welcome your students?” I grabbed a chair from the front row and sat in front of his desk.  
  
“Yes.”  
  
“Ibang-iba ka pala pag nasa classroom,  _Sir Mabini._ ”  
  
“Walang ibang tao,  _Pole_ na lang,” He opened his laptop. “I see you took my advice. Buti at nabigyan ka ng slot.”  
  
“What can I say, swerte ako eh,” I shrugged.  _Oo, Joven, swerte talaga ako sayo._  “Pero, maiba ako, that’s  _really_ how you welcome your students?”  
  
“Yes. Does it bother you?” He looked up from his screen and raised an eyebrow at me.  
  
“Di naman, nakakagulat lang.”  
  
“Ganito kasi yan, from experience, scaring the students lets you know who’s really interested in the subject. GE lang ang subject na tinuturo ko, but a lot of students think it’s a sure uno,  _that’s why they’re taking it._ ”  
  
“Uno-able nga ba?”  
  
“Kung sa ibang prof,  _sure_ , why not? Pero sa akin? You don’t get an uno for half-assed efforts and getting all chummy with the professor.”  
  
“Tell me how long you’ve been teaching this subject?”  
  
“Seven years, all in all. Pero, two years ago, ginawa kong every other sem na lang.”  
  
“So, you’ve been teaching SocSci 2 for quite some time, surely yung mga naunang kumuha niyan nagbigay na ng advice sa lower years na kung gusto nila ng uno, wag na silang mag-enlist under sayo,” He stopped typing. “I mean,  _no offense_ , and all.”  
  
“None taken,”  _Phew_. “I’ve seen the online evaluation profile that students have maintained through the years.  _Sir Mabini’s class is not uno-able, iisang estudyante pa lang ang nakakagawa nun, pero marami kang matututunan. Super worth it._  Yun ang sabi nila.”  
  
“You being a lawyer might have done something about it.”  
  
“Probably, but I don’t really care. Pustahan tayo, next meeting, only half of the class na lang ang matitira. Which, you know, is  _actually_ good, kasi I’ll be able to give slots to those who really want the subject.”  
  
“Half na lang?”  
  
“Same case  _every_ year.”  
  
“Hala, edi hindi na ako makikipagpustahan, sure na malulugi naman pala ako. Tradition na sayo yan, eh,” He let out a quiet laugh. “Pero sige, I’ll indulge you. Baka sabihin mo di ako sport. Pag nanalo ka, ililibre kita ng lunch. Pero hindi today, ha? May klase ako ng 12.”  
  
“Saan?”  
  
“Sa NCPAG.”  
  
“Eh ba’t nandito ka pa? You’re going to be late if you don’t leave now.”  
  
“Shh. Wala akong pake.”  
  
“But Miong,”  
  
“Shh. _Wala nga akong pake_ ,” I waited for him to protest, but he just looked at me quizzically. “Going back, pag ako ang nanalo, ako na ang magiging pangalawang estudyante na makaka-uno sa subject mo. Deal?”  
  
“Okay,” Win-win situation. “Wait, before you leave, can I tell you something?”  
  
“Siyempre naman. Pero kung pananakot yan tungkol sa subject mo, wag na.”  
  
“Sira,” I just laughed at him because somehow, it stirred a rise in him. “To be honest, di ko inexpect na gugustuhin mo pang mag-SocSci 2 after your semester with Hermosa.  _I’m glad he hasn’t ruined the subject for you._ ”  
  
“Ang shady natin ah.  _Backstabbing colleagues?_  Tsk. Never thought you had it in you.” I shook my head in mock disapproval.  
  
“Malakas loob ko, no. Naging abogado nga ako eh, yan lang di ko kaya? Para namang wala kang bilib sakin.” I raised my hands in surrender. “Well, it’s 11:45, you still have 15 minutes to get to your next class. Dali na, umalis ka na.”  
  
“Grabe ka naman, pinapaalis mo na kaagad ako.”  
  
“Wag kang mag-drama, umalis ka na. Madagdag pa sa konsensya ko pag na-late ka.”  
  
“Fine. Well, good day to you,  _sir_.” I bowed quickly.  
  
“Sira ka talaga.  _Shoo_. Let me do my work in peace,” I started walking to the door. “Will you be part of the half that stays next meeting?”  
  
“Naman.” I said before I was grabbed by arm from outside the door. I was about to throw a punch when I realized it was Joven.  
  
“Kaya pala nagpupumilit kang makakuha ng slots sa klase ni Sir Mabini.  _Iba ka na ha,_ ” He wagged his eyebrows up and down. I pulled my hand away and dragged him to the end of the hallway, far from where Pole can hear our conversation. “Aray!”  
  
“Sira, hindi, no.  _Gusto ko talaga yung subject._ ”  
  
“Wag ako, Kuya Miong.  _Di ako tanga,_ ” I turned my back on him and walked briskly. He jogged to catch up with me. “Di naman kita jinu-judge, grabe ka.”  
  
“Joven, just,  _don’t_.”  
  
“Fine. Well, anyway, dumaan lang ako para tignan kung pumasok ka sa klase niya. Makita ko man lang na di mo sinayang effort ko.”  
  
“I guess if you put it that way,”  
  
“Kitang-kita namang nag-enjoy ka,” Napa-ngiti ako. “Wag mo nang ida-drop yan ah?  _Pag drinop mo yan, di na kita tutulungan makakuha ng slots._ ”  
  
“Di na po, Jovenito.”  
  
“Actually, yun lang talaga ipinunta ko dito. Sige na, may next class ka pa sa NCPAG.”  
  
“Ikaw, wala kang class ngayon?”  
  
“Wala, kaya kakain muna kami ni Paco ng lunch.” I smiled. Looks like my spontaneous plan worked somehow. “Wait. Bago ako umalis, may sasabihin ako sayo.”  
  
“Go on, male-late na rin lang ako, sagarin na natin.”  
  
“Actually, di talaga ako yung gumawa ng paraan para sa slot mo sa klase ni Sir Mabini. Di ko talaga kaya yun, masyadong sketchy. Pero, nakumbinse ko si Paco na tulungan ako, since mas marami naman siyang connections. Kaya ayan, may slot ka.”  
  
“Ah ganun ba? Pakisabi kay Paco, salamat.”  
  
“Makakarating.”  
  
 _Now I really have to buy Joven that darned expensive Moleskine journal._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Originally posted on tumblr and can be found here:


	3. I've seen the waters that make your eyes shine, now I'm shining too

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Mabini, a Law professor, owns a quaint Maginhawa coffee shop and Aguinaldo, a PMAer-turned-PolSci-major, now has his cellphone number.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Title is from Landon Pigg's Falling In Love At A Coffee Shop.

“Seryoso ka pala when you said half.  _Iba ka._ ” I twirled the spaghetti with my fork before taking a bite.  
  
“ _Less than half came back._  May mga nag prerog, pero onti lang naman compared to those who left,” Pole took a little sip from his water. “Look on the bright side,  _at least mas matututukan ko na yung mga estudyante ko._ ”  
  
On our second meeting, in my haste to get to class on time, I forgot to wear a watch. I arrived in class to see him already seated behind his desk. I apologized for being late but he assured me I wasn’t. I tried to catch my breath before looking for a vacant seat. From the original 30 students, we were now done to 13, and I was part of the headcount.  
  
True to his word, we started with our first lesson on Plato’s  _The Republic_. It’s a good thing I was able to read on it, otherwise, I would have ended up like one of my classmates, thoroughly embarrassed for himself without Sir Mabini uttering a word except his question on the topic.  
  
We were a third into the period when a bunch of students knocked politely on the door. He didn’t say a word, just beckoned them in and made them write their names on his student records and had them take their seats. After the class, he told me they were all graduating students who needed to take GEs.  
  
“Di ko naman maitatanggi yun.”  
  
“See? _I’m nice._ My students just don’t give me a chance to make them see.” I paused long and hard before replying.  
  
“Ge.”  
  
“ _Ge?_  Anong  _ge_?”  
  
“Oo na, you’re nice,  _and I’m glad I gave your class a chance._ ”  
  
It was our first lunch out, technically, but it would definitely not be our last. _I’m going to make sure of it._

* * *

A month went by so fast. Seemed like yesterday I was just volunteering to save a classmate from recitation, but now we were going to have our first exam. Rightfully established, I was scared shitless about it. People who’ve taken his class has written all about his exams– _they were deadly, they would make your head hurt, and they would question your capability to study and understand the subject matter._  
  
The weekend before the exam, I stayed the whole day at his cafe just to study. I picked a table at a far end of the place to prevent myself from getting unwarranted attention. It was six in the evening and I was on the verge of pulling my hair with my bare hands when he wheeled into the cafe.  
  
I looked away so he wouldn’t see me, but he came by after a few minutes and set his things down on my table.  
  
“Anong inaaral mo?” He asked as he peered from above my notebook. “ _Allegory of the Metals._  Uy, subject ko yan ah.”  
  
“ _Please_  don’t remind me.” I said as I rubbed my temples. How am I supposed to concentrate on studying for my exam when my professor for said exam is seated in front of me?  
  
“ _Ngayon ka pa lang nag-aaral?_ ” I nodded. “You should just be refreshing right now. See, the trick is, you have to study the lesson soon after you’ve learned it, and then refresh before the exam so it doesn’t feel like you’re cramming a lot of information in your brain.  _Kaya ka nahihirapan eh._ ” I groaned in frustration.  
  
“Please lang, sabihin mo na lang sakin kung alin ang lalabas at hindi lalabas sa exam.  _Save me from my misery_.” He faked a gasp.  
  
“Mr. Aguinaldo! That is preposterous! Honor and excellence above everything else!”  
  
“Masusunod po, Sir Mabini.”  
  
“ _Sir Mabini,_ ” He shuddered. “Kung makapagsalita ka, parang ang laki ng tanda ko sayo.”  
  
“How old are you?”  
  
“I know for a fact that you’re 27.”  
  
“And you’re?”  
  
“31.”  
  
He chided me for trying to chat and opened his laptop to block my view of his face. When I tried to strike up a conversation, he plugged in his earphones and spared me not a single glance. Feeling defeated, I went back to studying. I had to ace the exam, no matter what. I was hell-bent on impressing him.

* * *

The day of the exam couldn’t have arrived sooner. When he handed me the questionnaire and the answer sheet, I looked at him and he gave me a curt nod and a hint of a smile ghosting on his lips. I said a little prayer of some sort before starting with answering.  
  
I scanned the exam to see that it had 25 items of identifying the philosopher behind the quote, 10 items of completing cross-analysis analogies, and 15 items of identifying the terms. All-in-all, it had 50 items,  _but each item was worth double the points._  
  
I was confident with most of my answers. Funny thing was, while I was answering the test, I could mentally pinpoint where exactly in my notebook can I see the answers. There were items that I really failed to remember the answers to, but I was confident I wasn’t going to flop.  
  
When the results came in a week after, I was quite happy with the results. I got 88 points in total. After the class, he gave me a beaming smile.  
  
“Looks like you’re going to do well in my class, huh?”

* * *

The second exam was a  _huge_  pain in the ass. Its timing got in the way of my midterm exams in my major subject, and to say that I was overwhelmed with all the subjects I had to study was an understatement. I had a reputation of some sort to keep for Pole, so I made it so that I had more time to review for his subject above everything else.  
  
I failed the second exam and it angered me so much that I got relatively better scores in the subjects I didn’t study much for thatn the one where I’ve poured in my heart and soul.  
  
“I can’t say I’m not disappointed, but to tell you the truth, the second exam is the hardest one.  _Please study hard for the third exam._  Hilain mo pataas yung bagsak mo.”  
  
And I did follow his advice for the third exam.  
  
Compared to the previous one, I did well, but not well enough to pull my grade up as high as I want it to.  
  
“Ganun talaga ang buhay.” He said.

* * *

Throughout the semester, I was able to witness firsthand how much it meant for him to be able to teach Social Science 2. He looked so relaxed in class, and at times you would forget that you were in classroom. The whole façade of being a terror prof fades away and is quickly replaced by the soothing voice of a man telling a tale to an old friend. If you paid attention to every detail, every move, you would notice how the slump of his shoulders when he enters the classroom diappears when he starts with the lesson. _It seems as if all the negativity in his life disappears as he animatedly talks about any of the Western philosophers._  
  
“Well, it’s  _not really_  about the philosophers themselves, but about the comcepts and the philosophies that they’ve constructed that serves as the pillars of modern philosophy and psychology. It gives explanation to why the economy is the way it is, and why people act and react in certain ways. It never fades, you know?  _The relevance of it all,_ ” he once told me.  
  
If I hated the subject when I was in Prof Hermosa’s class, I sure as hell didn’t anymore,  _because of Pole’s class._  
  
In those four months, we’ve went out for lunch a couple of times, but we always found our way back to his cafe. It was where we spent day and nights doing academe-related things, but mostly, it was where we would spent hours just talking about anything under the sun.  
  
The semester was coming to an end, and I had to admit, I was afraid.  
  
I was afraid that  _whatever_ it is that we have, it was only confined to the four months we spent together as student and professor.  
  
“ _So_ , na-compute ko na yung grades ng class niyo.” He was nursing a glass of lemon iced tea.  
  
“Kamusta naman ang grade ko?”  
  
“Let’s just say you’re not going to be the second one to get a flat uno in my class. Well, _none of your classmates are_ ,  _as well_ , but based on the grades I usually give out, you did pretty well.” I raised an eyebrow at him as I playfully tried to dip my finger in my tea.  
  
“May malalabag ba tayong batas sa sistema pag sinabi mo sakin yung grade ko?”  
  
“Flat dos,” I was staring at him for a few moments before I broke out of my reverie. My tea was still scalding hot and I forgot to take my finger out. “Aray! Shit!”  
  
He took my hand out from the mug and held my burnt finger in his cold palm.  _Good job, Miong. Wa-poise ka ngayon._  
  
“Isabel! Yelo!”  
  
He looked so calm and collected as he took the baggie of ice from her hands and set my finger on it.  
  
“Ganun ba ka-shocking yung grade mo?  _Mataas naman ah._ ”  
  
“Thank you sa dos.” Was all I could say.  
  
“Teka, di ko ma-calculate. _Sarcastic ka ba?_ ” I shook my head furiously. “Wag ka mag-alala, 1.75 pinakamataas na binigay ko this sem.”  
  
I took solace in the fact that I did not fail his class like I almost did Prof Hermosa’s last semester, as well as the fact that he had come to my rescue when I burnt my finger.  _Yuck, ang sissy._  
  
When we’d finished closing up the cafe for the night, I offered to give him a ride home. He was reluctant at first, but I insisted and he gave in eventually. He had a condo unit in Quezon Avenue, and he asked me if I wanted to come in for a while. I refused, because it was getting pretty late, but I assured him I’d take him up on his offer some other time.  
  
“Mag-ingat ka sa pagda-drive ha?” He said as I wheeled him into the condo lobby.  
  
“Ano ka ba, I’ll be fine.”  
  
“Medyo nawawala ka kasi sa sarili mo the past few days. May problema ba?”  _Yes! Patapos na ang sem at di na kita makikita nang halos araw-araw!_  
  
“Wala. Pagod lang siguro.”  
  
“Basta andito lang ako, if you need someone to talk to,  _or to drink with, kung umiinom ka_ ,” He wagged his eyebrows up and down and I laughed. Why must he be so adorable? “Sige na, umuwi ka na. Lalo ka pang gagabihin pag nagtagal ka dito.”  
  
I was halfway out the lobby when I remembered something. I turned back. ran for the closing elevator doors, and frantically pressed the button going up. He looked puzzled to see me.  
  
“Back too soon?”  
  
_It’s now or never._  
  
“Well, I was just wondering kung,” I struggled to catch my breath.  
  
“ _Kung?_ ”  
  
“Kung gusto mo bang manood ng lantern parade,  _with me?_ ” He let out a chuckle.  
  
“Akala ko pa naman kung ano. Sure, I’ll go with you, _basta itulak mo yung wheelchair ko._ ”  
  
“ _Tinatanong pa ba yun?_  Siyempre di kita pahihirapan. Kahit makarating pa tayo ng EDSA, okay lang.”  
  
“Aabot tayo ng EDSA?  _Ayos ah_ ,” We shared a good laugh. “Anyway, since there won’t be classes on the 16th,  _I’ll give you my number para we can talk about where and what time we’re going to meet._ Okay ba yun?” I tried to not sound like an eager puppy, but I couldn’t help it.  
  
“Okay na okay!” I gave him my phone and when he returned it to me, it already had his number on it.  
  
“Ikaw na maglagay ng name. O sige na, good night, umuwi ka na.”  
  
I walked out of the building with a grin so big that lasted until I got home.  
  
__**Save changes?  
**   
Yes.  
  
New contact saved!  
  
Mr. Mabini *sparkle emoji*

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Originally posted on tumblr and can be found here: https://dakilanglumpia.tumblr.com/post/136182127638/ive-seen-the-waters-that-make-your-eyes-shine


	4. If I couldn't have you I'd rather be alone

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Mabini, a Law professor, owns a quaint Maginhawa coffee shop and Aguinaldo, a PMAer-turned-PolSci-Major, breaks into his home.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter title is from Landon Pigg's Falling in Love at A Coffee Shop.

**Bzzt. Bzzt. Bzzt.**

_Ano ba ‘yan? Sinong tumatawag nang ganito kaaga ng Linggo?_

**Bzzt. Bzzt. Bzzt.**

_Onting ring pa, magsasawa din ‘yan._

**Bzzt. Bzzt. Bzzt.**

_Walang patawad?_

**Bzzt. Bzzt. Bzzt.**

“Hello?”

“Hala, Miong, sorry. Mukhang nagising pa ata kita,” A yawn broke out as I sat up on the bed. “Tatawag na lang ulit ako mamaya.”

“Hoy! Alas dos na kamo! Batugan amputa.” A voice was shouting in the background. _Typical Luna._

“Gising na ko, Isabel, sabihin mo na.” I walked to the windows and drew the curtains, only to be blinded by the rays of the Cavite sun.

“Nakapag-usap ba kayo ni Sir recently?” It must have taken me too long to respond because Tonio was suddenly interjecting.

“Sabi naman sa’yo, ‘di natin maaasahan ‘yan si Emilio eh.”

“Hoy! Naririnig kita, ha!” Isabel must have hit him with something because he suddenly shut up. “Di ko maisip eh. Bakit mo ba natanong, Isabel?”

“Ano, kasi, buong linggo nang ‘di dumadaan si Sir Mabini sa cafe, tapos di namin ma-reach yung phone niya. Di naman namin alam kung saan siya nakatira kaya hindi namin mpuntahan. We thought na baka nakakamusta mo siya.” _Shit._

“Um, alam ko kung saan siya nakatira. Ako na lang pupunta sa kanya tapos balitaan kita.”

“Uy, salamat ha? Sana okay lang si Sir.”

I have never hopped on a bus to Manila as fast I did in that moment.

* * *

I arrived at his condominium building at half past four, bringing nothing but myself and a heart full of worry.

_Paanong umabot ng isang linggong di kami nag-usap?_

Five raps on the door.

No answer.

Another five raps on the door.

Dead silence.

Five open-palm raps on the door, louder this time.

Still, no answer.

_Mukhang wala na akong choice. Desperate times call for desperate measures. Mahirap na, baka sa sobrang lala ng sakit niya, di na siya makagalaw para pumunta sa pintuan._

_Bahala na kung pagalitan niya ko._

I pulled my credit card from my wallet, scouted the hall with my eyes to search for the CCTV camera.

_May isa malapit sa elevator. Hm. Tatalikuran ko na lang._

_Here goes nothing._

I leaned closer to the door and tried to slide my card into the little gap between the door and the frame. I bent the card towards the knob and wiggled it back and forth.

_It should be clicking right about,_

I tried to wiggle it further into the latch and pushed the door with my shoulder.

**Click.**

_Now._

I turned the doorknob and opened the door slowly, the hardwood squeaking ever so noisily as it opened to reveal Pole’s unit.

Soon as the door opened fully, a wet dishrag met with my face and I couldn’t see.

“Sino ka! Manloloob ka ‘no! Subukan mo pang humakbang papasok ng unit, _may hawak akong,_ ” I heard the clatter of pots and pans. “May hawak akong frying pan!”

I grabbed the dishrag from my face and held my hands up in surrender. Only then did I see where the voice was coming from—a young woman, _wala pa sigurong 20 ‘to_ , perched behind the kitchen counter, frying pan held at the ready.

“Hindi ako manloloob! Miong ang pangalan ko!” I slowly brought my hands down.

“Hep! Keep your hands up where I can see them!” Onting bilis pa siguro ng pagbaba ko ng mga kamay ko at baka nag-snap na yung joints ko. “Pake ko kung ‘Miong’ pangalan mo? Papasok-pasok ka dito nang wala kang susi tas gusto mo ng ‘grand welcome’? _Tanga ka?_ ”

“ _Conching?_ ” A hoarse voice called out from one of the rooms. _Pole?_ “Anong kaguluhan diyan sa labas? Bakit ang ingay?”

“Attorney, may mama po dito, biglang pumasok. Wag na po kayong lumabas dito, ako na po bahala. Malilintikan ‘to sa’kin.” She glared at me as her knuckles went white from gripping the frying pan.

My heart dropped to my stomach.

_Mukhang seryoso talaga siya._

A few moments later, Pole wheeled in, brows furrowed at the sight in his common space—a girl barely in her 20’s behind the counter, holding up a frying pan, and and fully-grown man frozen in genuine fear.

“Conching, ibaba mo na ‘yang frying pan mo. I know him,”

“Pero Attorney—“ He scrunched his eyebrows at her. “ _Papa,_ kahit kilala mo siya, facts are facts. He broke into our unit!”

_Papa?_

“ _And we will make him explain why_. Ibaba mo na ‘yung frying pan mo,” Reluctantly, she lowered her arms from an attacking position and lowered the pan onto the kitchen counter, refusing to let go. “At ikaw naman Miong, you look like you had a stroke. Isara mo na yung pinto tapos umupo ka dito sa sofa.”

Sinunod ko na lang siya habang ramdam na ramdam ko sa buong katawan ko ‘yung intensity ng titig nung babae.

“ _Subukan mong manggulo_.” She mouthed bago niya ako itinuro at sumenyas na ginigilitan niya yung leeg niya.

Pole must have caught the shift in my expression and turned towards the girl nonchalantly flashing him a sweet smile.

_What the fuck?_

“ _So_ , Miong, _mind explaining?_ ” Nahimasmasan ako nang makita kong nasa harap ko na si Pole. Napa-buntong hininga ako.

“It’s true. I really broke into your unit. Kumakatok kasi ako kanina tapos walang sumasagot. Eh nung tumawag sakin si Isabel kanina na isang linggo ka na daw di dumadaan sa coffee shop nang walang pasabi, bumiyahe agad ako dito. Kaya inisip ko, baka may sakit ka tapos di mo kayang lumapit sa pinto kaya ginamit ko yung credit card ko para buksan yung pinto. Tapos ayun, I don’t know what happened, bigla na lang may bumato sa mukha ko ng basahan tapos inambahan ako ng frying pan.” The girl’s lips pursed together, squinting at me.

“And what have you got to say for yourself, Conching?”

“In my defense, I heard the knocking on our door. So, naturally, I went to the peephole to get a view of the stranger, only to find the peephole blocked. Kaya when the doorknob started turning, I ran to the kitchen,” She let go of the pan and crossed her arms over her chest. “Whatever I did from that point forward is in self-defense.”

“ _Clearly_ , ikaw talaga ang mali dito, Miong. I understand that you’re worried, but that is _not_ enough to justify breaking and entering.”

“I’m sorry.” My eyes turned to look at the floor.

“It’s not me that you should be apologizing to. You seem to have riled up my _little girl_.” The strange term of endearment rolled off from his tongue, like it was the easiest thing in the world.

“I’m not _little_ anymore, Papa.” She pouted.

“I’m sorry, Conching.” I turned to look at her, only to be greeted by a scowl.

“That’s Consolacion to you. _Only family calls me Conching._ ”

“Con _ching_.” Nilingon ni Pole yung babae.

“ _Apology accepted._ ” She huffed before excusing herself to answer the banging at the door.

The door opened to reveal two security guards.

“Ma’am, may reports po galing sa mga kapitbahay niyo ng ingay tsaka verbal threats. Ayos lang po ba kayo?” The taller one asked.

“Yeah, sorry. Misunderstanding lang, pero okay na.” The two guards peered over her shoulder to look at me and Pole.

“Sigurado po ba kayo?” The shorter one asked as he apprehended how Pole was sitting far from me.

“Sure na sure, kuya. Sorry po talaga. Ako na lang bahala mag-sorry sa mga kapitbahay.”

“Sige po, ma’am. Alam niyo naman po yung hotline namin. Tumawag na lang po kayo pag nagka-problema kayo.”

“Opo. Salamat po, at pasensya na ulit.” The two guards tipped their hats at her, giving me a once-over before walking away.

Consolacion went to the kitchen to get two glasses and a pitcher of water and set it on the coffee table before disappearing into her room.

“I guess this is the moment you ask me where I’ve disappeared to in the past week?” I nodded as I followed the planes and curves of his face, committing it to memory as I remembered we haven’t seen each other in a week. _Damn midterms_. “I came down with the flu and just forgot about my phone. And, as you can see, there really wasn’t anything to worry about. I have Conching.”

“Sino ba siya? At bakit ‘Papa’ ang tawag niya sa’yo?”

“Her mom was my bestfriend. Actually, inaanak ko talaga si Conching. When her mom passed away, sa’kin siya napunta kasi wala namang mga kapatid yung mom niya at wala na rin siyang lolo't lola. I raised her and legally adopted her a few years back. She’s feisty, huh?”

“ _Very_.” I replied as I remembered what went down a few minutes prior.

"She's a really sweet girl. If her mom was still alive, she'd be so proud of what Conching turned out to be. That kid's going places."

"She also has to thank you for that, you know. You raised her well."

"I raised her the way my _Nanay_ raised me. I didn't think I could pull it off. Never ko namang naisip na magiging tatay ako. But now that I am, I keep thinking: _Why did I ever think I didn’t want this?_ "

"Di ko din naisip na may anak ka, but it suits you. Fatherhood suits you."

"Masyado mo naman akong fina-flatter, Miong."

"Uy, hindi ah! Seryoso ako dun. Kita naman kung gaano mo kamahal si Consolacion."

"I do. I really, _really_ do."

"Does it get hard, though? Being a father?"

"It used to be a lot harder kasi wala talaga akong alam, tapos mag-isa pa ako. I used to think about how easier it would be if we had another set of hands."

"Did you ever think of looking for a mother figure for her?"

"It crossed my mind, tapos naalala ko, I don't swing _that_ way nga pala,” He bent to bring out a few photo albums from under the coffee table. “And, if other single dads out there can do it, why can't I? Mahal ko naman talaga 'yung bata, and that's the most important thing. The other things—changing diapers, fixing their hair, and whatnot—lahat ‘yun madali namang matutunan.”

“You don’t swing _that_ way?” _Go big or go home._

“Andami kong sinabi, ‘dun ka talaga na-fixate?” I shrugged. “ _No_. Akala ko dati ang taas lang ng standards ko sa babae. Boy, was I _wrong_.”

“Eh father figure, ‘di ka na naghanap? Katuwang sa buhay, ganun.”

“I dated for a while, but none of them stayed after knowing I had a kid. And then the polio kicked in, so that made it extra harder. Simula ‘nun, ‘di na ako sumubok ulit. Screw _men_. Conching and I are just fine by ourselves.”

“Eh paano kung may dumating na lalaki na tanggap lahat ng ‘to?” _Paano kung ako ‘yun?_

“Highly unlikely.”

“Paano nga lang.”

“Ilang taon na ang nakalipas, Miong. Guys like that just don’t exist.”

“Hypothetically lang naman. _Humor me_.”

“If they’re anything like you, I’ll think about it,” I cocked up an eyebrow at him, and he just gave me a shrug of his shoulders in return. “I’ll believe it when I meet him. Until then, my daughter and I are just fine.”

Nag-kwento siya tungkol sa pagpapalaki niya kay Consolacion simula nung 4 years old pa siya, at nagpakita siya ng mga photo album ng mga nasaksihan niyang milestones through the years—her first trip to the dentist, ‘yung unang beses na umakyat siya sa stage dahil nagkaroon ng medal si Consolacion, and her costumes for United Nations celebrations at her old school, among many others.

Soon, night fell and he’d asked me to stay for dinner. They ordered fried noodles and dimsum from North Park. We ate in silence because all of my attempts to get Consolacion in amicable dinner chitchat was shot down by her stuffing food into her mouth.

Pole only chuckled quietly at my frustration.

_Mukhang may kontrabida pa ata sa love story namin._

_I_ have  _to get into her good graces._

Halfway through our meal, I noticed that he hasn’t taken more than five bites.

“Papa, kumain ka pa. Di ka talaga makakarecover niyan kung di ka kakain.” He took three more bites of his food before setting his chopsticks down. She gave an exasperated sigh.

Come the time I had to leave, she wheeled him to the door to say goodbye. As Pole turned to go back into the unit, I gave her a little smile, which was met with crossed arms over her chest and a glare so icy that it sent shivers down my spine.

“ _Para kay Pole._ ” I muttered repeatedly under my breath before calling Isabel.

* * *

Tuesday the following week, I received a text from an unknown number.

**_From: 0916 xxx xxxx_ **

**_Papasok na ulit si Papa today. Wala pa rin siyang gana kumain. Ikaw na bahala. Bayaran na lang kita pag dumaan ka sa condo._ **

Not a few seconds later, another text was sent to my phone.

**_From: 0916 xxx xxxx_ **

**_Sa susunod, maghintay kang pagbuksan ka ng pinto. Mukha ka pa man ding akyat-bahay._ **

“Kanina ka pa nag- _tsk tsk_ diyan habang nagbabasa ng text. Maihipan ka ng masamang hangin, di ka na makatigil.”

**_New contact saved!_ **

“Eh kasi ‘tong anak ni Pole eh,”

**_To: Evil Spawn_ **

**_Nasa Arki Vickie ako ngayon. Pwede ba ‘yun?_ **

“May anak si Sir?”

**_From: Evil Spawn_ **

**_Ang cheap mo naman._ **

“Adopted,” I spared Joven a quick glance before attending to the new message she sent. “Ang init ng dugo sa’kin.”

**_From: Evil Spawn_ **

**_Hindi ‘yun healthy pero alam ko gusto niya ‘yan. Damihan mo ng chili sauce._ **

“Ilang taon na?”

“Babae, Joven. Di mo type ‘yun. Sa sobrang maldita, lalamunin ka ‘nun nang buhay.”

**_To: Mr. Mabini *sparkle emoji*_ **

**_Papunta kaming Arki Vickie ngayon. May gusto ka?_ **

“Uy, grabe ka sakin. Tinatanong ko lang naman,” Joven gave me a little shove. “Ate, isang order nga ng siomai pati original na pancit canton. Ay, tea-black na din tapos takeout!”

**_From: Mr. Mabini *sparkle emoji*_ **

**_Ikaw?_ **

“ _Putangina_.” My phone dropped to the floor, but my hands were frozen.

“Sino ba kasi katext mo?” Joven picked my phone up and read the thread. “Kuya, tinatanong ka lang siguro niyan kung anong inorder mo. Wag kang assuming. Maho-hopia ka niyan.”

“Ho... _pia?_ ”

“Hopia. Hope. Umasa tas walang napala,” Joven wiped the screen with the hem of his polo before giving my phone back. “Sometimes I forget, malaki nga pala age gap natin.”

“Kasalanan ko bang andami niyong iniimbentong kung anu-anong salita? Mga _millenial_ talaga, _andaming alam._ ”

**_To: Mr. Mabini *sparkle emoji*_ **

**_Siomai with rice ako. Yun na lang din sa’yo?_ **

“Shut up, you UNESCO Heritage Site.”

“Wala ka nang galang,” I let out a small laugh. “Infairness, funny ka dun. UNESCO Heritage Site kasi matanda na ako.”

“Wala na, hindi na nakakatawa. In-explain mo na eh,” I flicked him on the forehead. “Aray!”

**_From: Mr. Mabini *sparkle emoji*_ **

**_Sige. Bayaran kita mamaya._ **

“Ate, isa pa ngang order ng siomai with rice. Takeout na.”

**_To: Mr. Mabini *sparkle emoji*_ **

**_Wag na._ **

“‘Di ka man lang o-order ng panulak niya? Baka mabilaukan ‘yun.”

**_To: Mr. Mabini *sparkle emoji*_ **

**_Anong gusto mong drink?_ **

“See? This is why I keep you around.”

**_Message sending failed._ **

“Kuya mag-decide ka na, male-late na ko!”

“ _Puta_ , wala na ‘kong load,” I brought out 40 pesos. “Padagdag nga ng takeout na pantea.”

When we got all our orders, we rode a jeep to Psych and went our separate ways. Joven had GS 197 in CIS and Pole’s office was at the Polsci faculty building behind Psych.

When I got to the door of his office, nakabukas nang onti yung pinto. Sinubukan kong sumilip ‘dun sa maliit na uwang para tignan kung sino ‘yung kausap niya.There was a sharply-dressed man seated in front of Pole’s desk, eating a salad.

“ _Tu ne m'écoutes pas, mon petit chou,_ ” _Parang may kausap na alien si Pole._ “Who are you even texting? _The PMAer?_ ”

_This doesn’t count as eavesdropping, does it? I mean, the door’s slightly ajar, and I can’t possibly just barge in._

_Di ko naman kasalanang malakas boses nila, diba?_

“ _Ev_. You sound like a jealous wife.”

“So what if I’m jealous?”

_Jealous?_

“ _Sira_. You have nothing to be jealous of. You were here first.”

“ _Bien._ Glad we’re clear on that,” I heard the faint clinking of utensils and the packing away of plastic containers. “If you’ll excuse me, I’ve got a class to teach. Ikamusta mo na lang ako kay Conching.”

I didn’t notice that I was leaning too close to the door when it swiftly opened and I lost my footing.

“Ay.” I was able to grip the door frame just in time.

“Andito na pala siya. If you’ll excuse me,” He pried the pantea’s takeout baggie away from my hand. “ _Merci_ , PMAer, pero ‘di umiinom ng pantea si Mabs.”

“You’re welcome?”

“ _Au revoir, mon petit chou!_ _Au revoir_ , PMAer!” The man walked away with a spring in his step.

“Close the door behind you.” The door closed with a soft click, prompting Pole to pack away the papers on his desk.

I took out the contents of the baggie and laid them out. We ate in companionable silence, pero hindi ko matiis kaya nauna na akong magsalita.

“The 'PMAer’, _really?_ ” I cocked up an eyebrow at him.

“Not the best choice of nickname, I know. Sinabi ko naman sa kanya yung pangalan mo.” He shrugged before taking a bite. _One wrong step and I’ll send him running to the hills._

“Sino ba ‘yun?” He set down his utensils and eyed me with a curious gaze.

“Evaristo Ortiz.” _Nakakatunaw naman_.

“Familiar.”

“DEL Head.”

“Ah.” I broke away from the eye contact tapos sumubo lang ako ulit ng kanin.

“Why does it feel like the conversation’s not over?” He tucked his hands under his chin. “Anything else you want to ask?”

“Wala.”

“Sure?”

“Bakit siya nagseselos?” He let out a chuckle before breaking into gentle laughter. “Tawa ka diyan?”

“Does it honestly bother you that Ev feels jealous of you?” It felt like all the gears in my head stopped working.

“Oo naman!” I blurted out. _Shit_ . _Paano ko babawiin?!_

“Hm? _Color me intrigued._ ” He leaned back in his seat, as if waiting for me to explain myself. Pinagpawisan ata ako nang malamig.

“Siyempre. Nauna mo siyang naging _kaibigan,_ ” I waited for a moment to brace myself, should he make any attempt to correct me. _None._ “Tsaka di ko naman siya inaano tas pag-iinitan niya ako? No thanks.” _Nice save._

“He and I have been friends since high school. Don’t worry about him. Maloko lang ‘yun, but he’s very much devoted to his partner,” _Ayun, may asawa naman palang iba._ “He’s found such a good husband in Jose. Bless those idiots.”

We continued eating, and when we were finished, he offered me a piece of candy. _To wash out the aftertaste,_ he said.

“Maiba nga ako, Pole. Anong oras ba tapos ng classes mo today?”

“Why do you ask?”

“I had the weekend to to think about what happened last Sunday. Buti at ako lang yung _nanghimasok_ sa unit niyo. Eh paano kung ibang tao ‘yun? It’s not that challenging to open doors with just a plastic card. You need more locks on your door, especially because you have a young lady at home.”

“What are you suggesting, Miong?”

“I may or may not have bought two new locks that I want to personally install on your door, _if you would let me._ ”

“I’m flattered that my daughter was in your thoughts kahit na kaka-meet niyo lang last Sunday. You do realize she’s just 17, _right?_ ” He cocked up an eyebrow. I sputtered out a few grains of rice.

“Dios mio, Pole! Hindi ganun ‘yun!” He clutched his stomach as he burst into laughter. “You think that’s funny, huh?”

“ _Oh my god,_ ” He wiped away tears from his eyes. “You should have seen your face!”

“Masyado kang nag-eenjoy na pagtripan ako, ha.” I picked at the stray grains of rice on his table. _Nakakahiya._

“I’m sorry. I just really love _that_ look on your face—deer in the headlights,” The tip of my ears felt warm. “I get out at 5:30. Magkita na lang tayo sa harap ng Psych. I’ll book us a Grab.”

* * *

“Conching, I’m home.” I closed the door behind us before leaving my shoes on the rack by the door.

The air was filled with the smell of broth and herbs.

“Hi, Papa. I’m cooking dinner,” Her smile disappeared into a thin line. “ _May bisita ka pala._ ”

“Hello to you, too, Consolacion.” She sent a nod my way before walking to Pole.

“Inilatag ko na yung damit mo sa bed. Tawagin mo na lang ako pag kailangan mo ng tulong, okay?”

“You baby me too much, anak. Ako dapat nagbe-baby sa’yo eh.” He gave her hand a squeeze before wheeling himself into his room.

“Mamaya na lang, Pa, pag naka-shower ka na,” She glanced at the Ace Hardware baggie in my hand. “Ano naman ‘yang dala mo?”

“Bagong lock para sa pintuan niyo.”

“Hm."

“May tools ba kayo dito?”

“Magpa-plano ka ng DIY project tapos wala kang dalang tools,” She walked over to the kitchen sink, opened one of the cupboards underneath, and pulled out a blue steel toolbox. “Tignan mo na lang kung anong kailangan mo. May power drill ata kami diyan.”

Inilapag niya sa may pinto yung toolbox bago siya kumuha ng upuan na malapit sa may pintuan para mapanood niya ‘yung gagawin ko.

I measured the door and estimated the maximum height at which I can install the lock, enough that Pole can reach for it if Consolacion wasn’t there to answer the door for him, before using the power drill to make a sizable hole for the screws.

“Bakit mo ba ginagawa ‘to?” I stopped mid-installment to see her a feet behind me, arms outstretched to hand me a glass of water and a clean towel. I nodded in gratitude before taking the items from her hands and setting them on the floor.

“Iniisip ko lang naman ‘yung kapakanan niyong mag-ama. Paano kung hindi ako yung nag-break in sa unit niyo nung Sunday? Paano pag masamang loob talaga?” I faced the door to continue installing the locks.

“I don’t think you understood my question, kaya uulitin ko: _Bakit mo ba ginagawa ‘to?_ ”

“I still don’t follow.”

“Okay, sige ganito na lang, ‘no? Dalawang araw pa lang talaga kitang nakikita, and I may be too young to actually know things like this, but I’ve seen how you look at him. _Ano bang intensyon mo sa papa ko?_ ”

I twisted the screws shut on the first lock before turning to face her.

“I don’t know what exactly _this_ is, but I have the strongest urge na alagaan siya.”

“Linawin mo kung ano talagang intensyon mo, _Miong._ My Papa isn’t a charity case, and as you can see, we’ve been getting by just fine. Kaya ko siyang alagaan mag-isa. Kaya kung 'yun lang ang driving force mo, I suggest wag mo nang ituloy. We don’t need another man that will run to the hills and never look back." She turned away from me and walked back to the kitchen to check on the pot on the stove.

"I like him, Consolacion, I really do. Ngayon ko lang naramdaman 'to, na parang hindi na ako nawawala. I feel like I'm finally in the right place at the right time. I’ve already been married before, and it didn’t feel right. _This,_ with your Papa, _feels right_." I made sure to keep my voice low, but loud enough for her to hear.

“Marami siyang excess baggage, at isa na ako ‘dun. Him, you signed up for. But not me. You didn't sign up to be an instant father figure,” Gone was the feisty young girl, and all that was left in her stead was the shell of a child who’s had her fair share of heartbreaks. “That's why the others left. So, I’m being kind. I'm giving you an out now.”

“I won’t run. If he lets me in, I won’t run."

"Wag mong sabihin sa'kin. Gawin mo."

Silence fell in the room as I finished installing the second lock. I packed the tools back in the box and walked over to the kitchen. She gave me a curt nod when she took the toolbox and returned it to its place.

I glanced at my watch to see that it was almost 7 ‘o clock.

“I must admit, I’m surprised to see you both in one piece.”

“Natapos ko nang ikabit, Pole. Medyo gumagabi na din kaya mauna na ako.” I wiped my hands on my jeans and made a move to retrieve my bag from the living room.

“Stay for dinner, Miong. As a ‘thank you’ for the locks. I’m sure Conching won’t mind?”

“Hindi na. Sa susunod na lang, pag announced ‘yung pagpunta ko dito.”

“Umupo ka na. Dinamihan ko ‘yung sinaing.”

If the ends of her lips quirked up a bit as she set three plates on the dining table, then maybe my eyes really weren't playing tricks on me.

**Author's Note:**

> Originally posted on tumblr and can be found here: https://dakilanglumpia.tumblr.com/post/132793564478/i-never-knew-just-what-it-was-about-this-old


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